BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI - 620 024
One Year Diploma in Herbal Medicine
(For the candidates to be admitted from the academic year 2006-2007 onwards)
Seme
ster
I
II
Title of the Paper
Exam.
Hours
University
Exam. Marks
Paper I– Taxonomy and Cultivation of
Medicinal Plants
3
100
Paper II – Ethano Medicine
3
100
Paper III – Practicals covering the courses
I, II, IV & V (Practical examination at the
end of the II semester)
3
100
Paper IV – Pharmacognosy
3
100
Paper V – Herbs and Drug Action
3
100
Paper VI – Project and Viva-voce
-
75 + 25
TOTAL MARKS
600
Eligibility : Pass in +2
Practical / Field experience or training shall also be conducted in the relevant
areas.
Project: Simple project work is to be given and dissertation to be submitted at the
end of the course. This is to be valued for 75 marks and 25 marks for vivavoce examination.
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PAPER I – TAXONOMY AND CULTIVATION OF
MEDICINAL PLANTS
Unit I
Introduction to Medicinally important Plant parts: Fruits, Leaves, Stem and its modifications
(underground and aerial), Roots.
Unit II
Plant identification – Elementary knowledge of Binomial nomenclature – Outline of Bentham
and Hooker classification – Herbarium techniques.
Unit III
Study of some medicinally important families with reference to systematic position. Diagnostic
features and medicinal uses only: Meliaceae, Myrtaceae, Apiaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Solanaceae,
Lamiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Zingiberaceae, Musaceae and Poaceae.
Unit IV
Cultivation methods – Crop protection – Harvesting – Storage and Protection – Marketing and
utilization - Export of medicinally important (General aspects).
Unit V
Endangered Plants – Conservation: Exsitu and Insitu methods – Importance of Red data book
(IUCN) – Patenting and IPR.
Practicals:
1. Identification and Medicinal value of locally available medicinal plants.
2. Morphology of the useful parts
3. Vegetative propagation methods (for spotters).
References:
1. Gokhale, S.S., C.K.Kokate and A.P. Purohit (1994) Pharmacognosy. Nirali Prakashan. Pune.
2. Tyagi, Dinesh Kumar (2005) Pharma Forestry. Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Atlantic
Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi.
3. Faroogi, A.A., and B.S. Sreeramu (2004). Cultivation of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops.
University Press (India) Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad.
4. Singh & Jain (1985) Taxonomy of Angiosperms. Rastogi Publications, Meerut.
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PAPER II – ETHNO MEDICINE
Unit I
Ethnomedicine – definition, history and its scope – Inter disciplinary approaches in ethnobotany
– Collection of ethnic information.
Unit II
Importance of medicinal plants – role in human health care – health and balanced diet (Role of
proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins).
Unit III
Tribal medicine – methods of disease diagnosis and treatment – Plants in folk religion – Aegle
marmelos, Ficus benghalensis, Curcuma domestica, Cyanodon dactylon and Sesamum indicum.
Unit IV
Traditional knowledge and utility of some medicinal plants in Tamilnadu – Solanum trilobatum,
Cardiospermum halicacabum, Vitex negundo, Adathoda vasica, Azadirachta indica, Gloriosa
superba, Eclipta alba, Aristolochia indica, Phyllanthus fraternus and Boerhaavia diffusa.
Unit V
Plants in day today life – Ocimum sanctum, Centella asiatica, Solanum trilobatum, Cassia
auriculata, Aloe vera. Nutritive and medicinal value of some fruits (Guava, Sapota, Orange,
Mango, Banana, Lemon, Pomegranate) and vegetables - Greens (Moringa, Solanum nigrum)
Cabbage.
Reference:
1. Ethnobiology – R.K.Sinha & Shweta Sinha – 2001. Surabhe Publications – Jaipur.
2. Tribal medicine – D.C. Pal & S.K. Jain 1998, Naya Prakash, 206, Bidhan Sarani, Calcutta –
700 006.
3. Contribution to Indian ethnobotany – S.K. Jain 1995, 3rd edition, Scientific publishers,
P.B.No. 91, Jodhpur, India.
4. A Manual of Ethnobotany – S.K.Jain, 1995, 2nd edition.
Practical:
Field study of Herbal preparation of
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Aristolochia indica
Azadirachta indica
Boerhavea diffusa
Vitex negundo
Phyllanthus fraternus
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Paper III – Practicals covering the courses I, II, IV & V
(Practical examination at the end of the II semester)
PAPER IV – PHARMACOGNOSY
Unit I
History, Definition and scope of pharmacognosy; Systems of Indian Medicines – Siddha, Unani,
Ayurveda, Homeopathy; Terminologies.
Unit II
Classification of Crude drugs – Taxonomical, Morphological, Pharmacological and chemical
classifications; Chemistry of drugs and its evaluation.
Unit III
Preparation of crude and commercial drugs. Making infusion, decoction, lotion, washers,
insectepellents, suppositories, tincture, making herbal syrups, compresses, poultice, plasters,
oinments, herbal oils and herbal salves. Surgical fibres, sutures and dressing.
Unit IV
Organoleptic study of the following medicinal plants: Fruit – Amla, Bulb – Garlic, Rhizome –
Ginger, seed – castor, Bark – Cinchona, Leaves – Neem and Flower – Clove.
Unit V
Analytical Pharmacognosy – drug adultration and detection. Biological testing of herbal drug.
Phytochemical investigations with reference to secondary metabolites of locally available
medicinal plants.
Practical:
1. Histo – anatomical analysis of crude powder drug of locally available medicinal plants.
2. Study of organoleptic parameters of the plants prescribed in the syllabus.
References:
1. Pharmacognosy, S.B.Gokhale, Dr.C.K. Kokate, A.P. Purohit
Publisher: Nirali Prakasham, Pune.
2. Herbs that Heal, Acharya Vipul Rao – Diamond Pocket Books, New Delhi.
3. Practical Pharmacognosy. Dr.C.K. Kokate et al.
4. Phytochemical methods, Horborne.
5. An Introduction to Medicinal Botany and Pharmacognosy – N.C. Kumar, Emkay
Publications, Delhi.
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PAPER V – HERBS AND DRUG ACTION
Unit I
Terminologies – Definitions – Classification of medicinal plants based on their effects –
Ecological status with special reference to India.
Unit II
Allergens – types – sources – active principles – Chemical nature – Cell modifiers – Lectins –
mutagens, teratogens – Allergic reactions with known examples.
Unit III
Drugs acting on brain and nervous system – Rheumatic arthritis – Psychoactive drugs –
Depressants, Stimulants, hallucinogens – sources, effects, basic mechanism of action.
Unit IV
Cardiovascular diseases – blood pressure – cardiac drugs of plant origins – alkaloids,
anticoagulants – basic mechanism of action. Pulmonary / respiratory disorders – asthma –
bronchitis – common cold – allergy – Remedy from plants.
Unit V
Drugs for urinogenital disorders – roots of Withania somnifera – Memory stimulants – Centella
asiatica – Drugs for dissolving kidney stones – Musa paradisica (pseudostem) –
Antiinflammatory drugs – Cardiospermum – Anticancer drugs – Catharanthus roseus.
Practical:
-
-
Poisonus plants – Toxic protein from Abrus
Aconitin – from roots of Aconitum
Strychnine – from seeds of strychnos
Nicotin – from leaves of Nicotiana
Alkaloids – from members of solanaceae
Asthma – Allergy – Pollen & allergy
Role of lectins
Anticancer drug from Catharanthus roseus
Depressants – opium (Papaver somniferum)
Stimulants – Strychnos nux – vomica, Coffea arabica
Blood pressure – Digitalis purpurea; Ephedra; Atropa belladonna; Claviceps purpurea
Diuretic properties.
Reference Books:
1. Kumar, N.C. (1993). An Introduction to Medical botany and Pharmacognosy. Emkay
Publications, New Delhi.
2. Rao, A.P. (1999). Herbs that heal. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd., New Delhi.
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